Unvented toilet

A former owner installed a toilet with no vent. it never caused big
troubles, but i had to pull it some indoor french drain can be
installed. the flange is cracked. basement toilet used mostly for
emergencies....
anyhow want to replace the sewer line, its most terracota pipe with
tree roots.
any suggestions on venting it properly?
there are those indoor vents used for smaller applications, is there a
large version for toilets?
on rare occasions the trap water would disappear.......
theres no conveient vent line available
suggestions appreciated

If I am reading your message right you have two questions.
Vent: Vent it according to code. Are you in the US? I don't recall
the code, but based on my memory the most simple legal version if a full
size vent up through the roof. The drain requires the proper size and down
hill tilt.
Forget trying to repair that sewer pipe with root compromised clay pipe.
Just plan on a new one and this one should be plastic. Clay will allow some
moisture to get though and attract those roots that will be right back
damaging the pipe. Proper plastic will be 100% water proof and the roots
will not be attracted.

yeah going to replace all the underground line with PVC, to just
outside of house. then later to street. the line gets very deep
outdoors like 12 feet. having it replaced will be costly. want to do
the indoor stuff and fix up my shop. since we are getting a new
furnace and air. the basement shop is getting reconfigured
dont really want to open walls from basement to roof, its a 2 story
home, to run vent...
hope there is another way..........

.
You probably realize this, but you don't necessarily have to open all
the walls to go from basement to roof. For example, depending on the
location, you may be able to drill a hole from the basement and attic
and only need to cut a wall opening to do the hole between 1st and 2nd
floor.

...
yeah but the walls have fireblocks and braces, plus a 4 inch pvc may
not fit inside the 2 by 4 wall cavity.......
sewer lines all 4 inch.
theres a indoor vent thats added o a stub of a sewer line, above the
water level.
wonder if they are made in 4 inch.
i have even thought about running a vent up the now abandoned furnace
flue........
given trhe chimney construction that wouldnt be easy, and my wife
talks about adding a fireplace using the old furnace flue. dont know
how practical that is. its a lined chimney

.com...
vent lines are supposed to be equal to sewer line diameter.......
found that out when i asked a plumber about sending washer dran water
directly down sewer, rather than wash tub.
he remarked the wash tubs vent only 2 inches, would need 4........
we have 2 washers

.
There is another way....per Rico's post a few days ago.
Here is a line of products that allow air into the plumbing system
when needed to vent a "flush" or discharge of water but otherwise keep
the vent sealed so sewer gas cannot escape. Their website is ok but
it doesn't make choosing a unit that easy. They have several
different ones but I find their website not all the useful in actually
selecting a unit.
http://www.studor.com/index2.htm
cheers
Bob

Plumbing codes vary around the country so all I am doing is sharing this
information with you for you to consider.
My current home, built in 1995 in an over inspected county has a 1.5" vent
pipe for the john in the half bath and only a 2" vent for the entire full
bath that is roughed in in the basement ( the 3 fixtures each have a 1.5
that ties into a 2" that passes to the attic and connects to the main
stack). All of the pipes tie into one or more of the main stacks in the
attic and pass through the roof using a 3 or 4" pipe.
I have worked on a lot of homes in the last 35 years and have seen entire
baths vented using 1.5" pipe that expands to 3" before exiting the attic.
Personally, I would have no problem using a 2" pipe to vent this. Unless
you are located in a ornery state, you local plumbing inspector should be
happy to answer this question for you. A lot of places homeowners can do
the work legally as long as it is inspected and approved.
The disappearing trap water could be caused by evaporation if the lid is
left up and the fixture not used for a couple of weeks.
Colbyt

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